It wouldn’t happen, but Savannah was very good at imagining things. It was her job, after all!
“Savannah?” Gaelen prompted and she spun around, only wincing a little at the pain in the back of her head.
“Yes?”
“You were about to explain this temp agency babysitting thing,” he prompted.
Savannah smiled at the dictatorial way he’d phrased that statement. “I was?” she teased, quietly amazed that she felt she could tease him. He was so big and powerful, obviously he had a great deal of wealth, so that power wasn’t just from his physical strength. And yet, she felt perfectly safe teasing him.
He looked at her with a sexy, tough-guy expression. “You were,” he reiterated even as his lips twitched with humor.
Savannah laughed and, for some reason, she felt his hand tighten around her fingers. “I’m good with kids, but I didn’t want to tie myself down to a single family as a caregiver. With my erratic schedule each semester, I didn’t want to have to schedule my classes around another person’s work schedule. So, I registered with a babysitting agency that parents can call for help on an as-needed basis. I have several families that consistently ask for me, so I know their kids. Plus there are other families who need a babysitter on an emergency basis and I earn more money for those jobs.”
He moved closer. “So you work as a babysitter, wait tables every morning, then serve drinks every night. Apparently, you go to school during the afternoon?”
“Yep. Although, I’m almost finished with my degree, so the classes are almost over. I’ll probably have to continue waiting tables for a while, until I’m established in my career, but that’s okay. I won’t have to work so many hours, which will be nice.”
She took the seat he offered her and smiled her thanks.
“What are you studying?” he asked as he took the seat opposite her.
“I’m studying to become an interior designer. And I wanted a minor in business. Eventually, I want to own my own design firm.”
He nodded towards one of the waiters. “Impressive,” he replied.
Savannah watched with increasing awe as two waiters came through a hidden door, carrying something that smelled amazingly delicious. “Oh my!” she gasped when the silver dome was lifted and she stared down at a plate filled with juicy chicken, potatoes that looked decadently cheesy, and asparagus that had been roasted to a beautiful green color. “This smells wonderful!”
“Good. You need to eat more. You’re too thin,” he told her, picking up his knife and fork.
Savannah laughed. “I thought there was no such thing as being too rich or too thin.”
He shook his head, pointing his knife towards her plate. “Eat. You are beautiful, Savannah, but you need to eat more.”
She grinned. “Ah, the words every woman wants to hear.”
“That you’re beautiful?” he grunted. “You must know you are.”
She laughed. “No, that I need to eat more,” and she dug into her food, hungrier than she’d realized.
They ate in silence for a moment and Savannah drank water as if she were a camel. “I’m so thirsty!”
“You haven’t had anything to drink for a while either. You’re probably dehydrated.”
“Probably. I’m sure I’m completely off my regular routines. I still can’t believe it’s so late!” and she drank more than half of her glass. She was startled when a waiter immediately appeared to refill her glass.
“So this is your life?” she asked, her gaze moving over the décor, taking in the wait staff that seemed to hover, ready to fulfill their smallest needs. “Do you always have people like this?”
“Like what?”
She laughed. “So, that’s a yes.” She leaned forward. “Who are you?”
“Just a man, Savannah. And you’re not eating.”
Oh, teasing him was fun. “This is delicious,” she commented as she took another bite of the chicken. “Where are we, by the way?”
“Still in New York City.”
Savannah smiled slightly, rolling her eyes. “You’re so cute,” she announced.
He blinked in confusion, his fork halfway to his mouth. He frowned thoughtfully, trying to figure out her meaning. “I’m…cute?” he echoed.
“Adorable, actually.”
He grunted, his eyebrows lowering so that his scowl looked more sinister. “Men are not cute, Savannah,” he told her sternly.
“You are too. But I’m guessing you think big, bad, terribly mean men like you are too tough to be cute?”
He scowled at her. “Yes. Exactly. Tell me about your classes.”
She laughed slightly, then took another bite of her chicken before saying, “Just regular design stuff. What do you do for a living?”
“I manage my family’s financial investments.”
She smiled at his vague reply. “Ah! I figured you were rich. So, if you’re so wealthy, why do you buff up like that?” she asked, nodding meaningfully towards his body.
“Like what?”
“You look as if you work out like a demon. Why is that?”
“I keep in shape because it is healthy. Why do you refuse to eat?”
She laughed. “I don’t refuse to eat. I’m just poor and too busy to eat most of the time. Besides, there’s so many more interesting things to do in life. Why bother to eat?”
He rolled his eyes. “Eat!” he growled.
Savannah laughed, delighted. “You’re not really that mean, are you? I suspect that you want the world to see you as a big, mean grizzly. But underneath all those muscles, you’re just a teddy bear, aren’t you?”
His eyes flared. “Are you trying to tease me into showing you just how mean and merciless I can be?”
She couldn’t help it, poking at him was so much fun. “Sorry,” she replied, thinking she could easily fall for a guy like Gaelen. Grinning, she shrugged one shoulder. “You’re just too big and mean…and cute.”
He ran a finger over his cheek. “This scar eliminates any possibility that I am cute, my dear.”
For the first time, she noticed the scar along his cheek. “Oh wow! How did that happen?”
“A knife fight when I was younger,” he said, as if it hadn’t been a big deal. But now that she really looked at it, the scar was long and had probably been deep.
“It looks as if it really hurt!”
“I won the fight,” he told her as if she should have realized that fact already. “And you’ve effectively changed the subject. We were discussing your life, not my past.”
She grinned. “Right. What was the subject?”
His eyes narrowed, but she could see that he was fighting back his own amusement. “Your studies,” he supplied dryly.
“Oh, right! I’m studying interior design, color issues, furniture balance, and other classes. I’m almost finished with my degree and,” she straightened with pride, “I’ve already been hired on by one of the best design firms in Manhattan.”
“Really?” he asked, his eyes widening slightly. “That’s great. Congratulations. Which one?”
“Michael and Stern. They are out of…”
“I know of them. I’ve used them in several of my places.”
Her smile widened, then she shook her head, slightly exasperated. “Of course you have.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She shrugged and scooped up a bite of potato. “Oh, I suspect that you’ve worked with all of the top firms in the city. I mean,” she looked around, “the owner of this place must have shelled out a pretty penny for this design. It’s wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But I doubt I’ll get a chance to work on projects this prestigious for a long time, if ever.”
Their conversation shifted easily from one topic to another without any awkward pauses. After dinner, they moved to the white sofas and a servant offered her a cup of herbal tea while Gaelen sipped brandy. She was touched by the staff’s sensitivity and courtesy.
But by ten o’clock, she couldn’t
stifle a yawn and he caught it.
“You’re tired,” he replied, placing the brandy snifter on the low table in front of him. “You should rest.”
As much as she wanted to stay with him and talk, Savannah knew that she was still wiped out. “I can’t imagine why I’m so tired. I slept most of today.” But she stood as well, tugging her shirt down over her hips. “I need to…” she trailed off as he moved closer.
“You’re beautiful, Savannah,” he told her, his voice a husky murmur that sent spirals of awareness throughout her body.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “You’re very handsome as well.”
He moved closer. “You will sleep here tonight.”
Despite the sudden throbbing tension, she smiled at his dictatorial tone. “I’m going home, Gaelen.”
He shook his head. “You shouldn’t be alone. You have a head injury.”
She grinned. “The doctor said I was only in danger the first night. And you’ve been a wonderful babysitter.”
“I can…”
“I need to go home, Gaelen. I need to shower and change clothes. I have to…”
He sighed, pulling her close. “I’m not going to kiss you, Savannah,” he told her, even as his arms tightened around her. “If I start, I doubt that I’ll be able to stop.”
She smiled into his chest, sensing the truth in his words. She’d never met a more tempting man in her life! “All the more reason why I should go home.”
He pulled back, looking down at her. “Fine. But…”
She laid a hand on his chest, stopping his words. “No buts, Gaelen. We should…I need to…” she paused, looking up into his eyes. Suddenly, she felt an almost violent urge to kiss him. Instead, she pulled back, startled by the need inside of her. “I’ll let myself out,” she said and stepped backwards.
“I’ll drive you home,” he decided.
Savannah immediately shook her head. “No, that’s okay. It’s not late and I can get home on my own.”
“Absolutely not!” he announced, his tone warning her not to argue anymore. “I’ll drive you and ensure that you arrive at your door safely.”
She smiled, somehow charmed by his gentlemanly dictate. “You’re kinda pushy, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Get used to it,” he warned her, then took her hand and led her out of the suite. A servant waited by the doorway with her purse and a small bag with her medicines in it.
“Thank you,” she said, amazed by his staff’s efficiency. And a bit weirded out by it. Gaelen hadn’t said anything to anyone about her leaving, and yet, they’d somehow anticipated her departure. Ignoring that, since she’d never be here again, she looked up at him. “Please, let me know how much I owe you for the meds and the emergency room visit. I don’t want you to pay for my medical issues.”
He shook his head, putting a hand to the small of her back. “You’re not paying for anything, Savannah. I’ve already told you this. The guy who attacked you has already been contacted by my lawyers.”
“On a Saturday?” she gasped. “That’s going to be horrendously expensive!”
He snickered, shaking his head. “You have no idea.”
She frowned, looking up at him as he pressed the button on the elevator. “Yes but…what if the guy doesn’t pay? I can’t afford a lawyer that charges extra on the weekend.”
Gaelen turned to look at her, shifting so she was pinned against the wall of the elevator. “You’re going to trust me, Savannah. I know that you don’t know me well enough yet, but still, you’re going to have to trust me on this.”
“Yes but…”
He shook his head. “Do you really think that this is the first time that he’s pushed a woman around? A man doesn’t go from being a good man who respects women to a man who slams a woman against the wall, attempting rape, Savannah.” He paused, letting those words sink in. “He tried to rape you. He’s probably done so to other women, although maybe with a few variables on the original theme. He’s a bully and a rapist. If he hasn’t raped a girlfriend or a date before, then I’ll back off. But right now, my lawyer’s investigators are tearing into his past. First though, he’s going to pay dearly for what he did to you. My primary goal is to have every cent of your medical bills paid for by him. The emergency room visit, your meds, and a follow up visit with another doctor. Then he’s going to pay for your lost wages since you can’t work today or tomorrow.” His eyes turned hard. “You are not working tomorrow, Savannah!” he told her sternly. “You’re going to relax and read. Understood?”
She wanted to smile up at him, thinking he was charming even in his dictatorial way. “Yes, Gaelen. I understand.”
“Good,” he said with a firm nod. “After he pays for all of your bills, then you’re suing him for damages, both current as well as punitive. My lawyers already know his annual salary at his investment firm, his bonus amounts for the past five years, as well as his bank balance and the value of his condominium. My lawyer is slamming him with a lawsuit so vicious, the guy will either pay you the amount I’m demanding, or he’ll be bogged down in legal fees for the next century and will wish that he’d just paid the amount.”
“You’re a good man,” she whispered, wishing he would kiss her. No man had ever been angry on her behalf before. Not her father or any of her previous boyfriends. Not that Gaelen was her boyfriend, but goodness was she turned on!
Gaelen grunted at that, obviously not agreeing with her adjective. “And then I’m going to make sure his ass is fired! Not just fired, I’m going to make sure that no investment firm in the city hires him. I’m going to make sure that his picture is all over the news so that other women are warned away from him so that he can’t even get a date. And I’m going to mandate that he attend anger management classes and therapy!”
Savannah placed a hand on his chest, which seemed to startle him out of his fury. “That all sounds wonderful, but I live in the real world. If only half of that happens, I’d be grateful.”
They entered the parking garage. “Which car is yours?” she asked, noticing several expensive, beautiful vehicles. None of them were anything she’d dare to drive. Although, to be honest, she wasn’t a huge fan of driving anywhere or in anything. Her father had taught her to drive…sort of. He’d put her in the driver’s seat one afternoon and told her to “Go forward!” in his usual gruff, grouchy voice. After thirty minutes, she was sobbing with tears of frustration and terror while he ordered her to “Get out and let me drive!” That day had been the beginning and the end of her driving lessons. She’d never dared to ask her father for another lesson and he hadn’t offered.
So, the idea of her taking one of these vehicles out on the streets of Manhattan was hilariously not-funny!
“They all are,” he told her, then put a hand to the small of her back, steering her towards a sleek, black Mercedes that looked like it would cost more than she earned in a decade. Which wasn’t saying much, she thought as he pulled the passenger door open for her and she stepped inside.
“This is nice,” she murmured, smoothing her hand over the soft leather when he stepped into the driver’s seat.
“Thank you. What do you drive?”
She laughed. “I take the bus or subway,” she replied, leaning back into the luxurious seat as he drove out of the parking garage. By this time of the night, the traffic had died down so that the streets weren’t parking lots any longer. There was still some congestion, but not like what might have been clogging the roads during the afternoon or, even worse, during the morning or evening rush hours.
“You don’t drive at all?” he asked, glancing at her as the street lights illuminated her face.
“No. I don’t like driving,” she admitted. “And in New York City, there’s not much of a need to drive. The public transportation is normally much faster.”
“You might have a point,” he replied with a chuckle. “Where do you live?”
She cringed. “I live in the Bronx, Gaelen. And I don’t think it would be a good i
dea for you to drive this beautiful car into that neighborhood.”
He stopped at a red light. “Where in the Bronx?” he demanded.
She shrugged. “I’m on one hundred and forty-third street,” she admitted, looking right back at him, daring him to say anything about that neighborhood. It was one of the worst in the city.
“No!” he told her and started to turn around.
She laid a hand on his arm, stopping his movement. “Please, Gaelen. I really do need to go home. I’m tired and filthy and I just…I need to be home.”
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel and she could see the debate going on in his mind. “You’re not living in that neighborhood, Savannah,” he told her firmly.
She laughed. “I’ve lived there for four years now. As long as you don’t flash a lot of cash and keep moving, I’m perfectly fine. I mind my own business and people leave me alone.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.” Then she grinned. “Actually, you’ll be perfectly safe in that neighborhood as well. In this car, everyone will think you’re a drug dealer, and a good one at that. They won’t mess with you. Especially with your size. They’ll back off pretty quickly.” She grinned cheekily. “Your expensive car, plus your build, might give me a bit of street cred!”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll station a guard at your door.”
She laughed. “You will not,” and she snuggled further down into the seat. “No one bothers me. Mostly because I’m rarely home, but also because they see my clothes and bag and know that I have no money.” She said it with a teasing tone, but she missed the look of surprise that he shot her. That look shifted to one of determination as he maneuvered through the brightly lit streets of Manhattan, then took the bridge to the other boroughs.
When he pulled up outside of her building, Gaelen looked around. There were several groups of people watching, but they didn’t seem threatening. Which he knew could be a false sense of this world. Before he stepped out of the Mercedes, he sent a message to his security team. He hadn’t told them that he was leaving, but he was sure that they’d known and had followed. Sure enough, two sets of lights blinked off in the distance, letting him know that they were there. Two men got out of the vehicle and followed behind him as Gaelen followed Savannah into the building.
Entangled with the Prince Page 4